The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) in a statement criticised the sight of people smoking on television and movie screens.

"Inspection organs at all levels should pay more attention to the excessive use of smoking scenes in movies and teleplays," the statement said, according to a report in the Beijing News on Friday.
However, since there are no national laws banning tobacco, "there is no legal basis for completely prohibiting smoking scenes in teleplays and movies", the announcement said.
The statement was released during a seminar on China's efforts to meet its obligations to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. (pi)